Another Game, Another Bad Second Half: Bulls Lose to Pistons

This is becoming a disturbing trend.  The Bulls have a fine first half, but implode in the second.  Such was the case last week against Denver, Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers and  in Monday's 109-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons during their final game at The Palace of Auburn Hills.  It tied the teams at 31-32, though they still hold onto the final two playoff spots in the East.

Even without Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo due to injuries, the Bulls initially appeared not to need them, outpacing Detroit on the break, 10-0, in the first quarter and leading by as much as 14 during that frame.  But the Pistons cut that lead to four by halftime and the contest was knotted after three quarters.  The final frame was all Detroit, which opened it with a 12-3 run and ultimately outscored the Bulls, 30-16.  That happens when your offense lasts longer and you take away easy chances on defense, though it helps when your opponent lets you score at will and can't respond.

Reggie Jackson was the Pistons' big player, scoring 24 of his 26 points in the second half and shooting a perfect 10 for 10 from the field during that time.  Jon Leuer scored 16 and 13 points apiece came from Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris.  Andre Drummond, whom the Bulls hacked for a bit in the third quarter (a strategy Will Perdue said changed the course of the game), had 12 points and eight rebounds.  Aron Baynes, whom Australian Olympic coach Luc Longley was in the building to check out, put on a decent showing of 12 and seven.

Jimmy Butler regrouped from his bad game against the Clippers to lead all scorers with 27 points and grab nine boards.  Robin Lopez was his usual reliable self in the pain, scoring 18.  Cameron Payne showed a glimpse of why Gar Forman acquired him, hitting a game-high four 3-pointers during a 14-point game.  Bobby Portis scored 10 and Jerian Grant dished a season-high eight assists.

It came down to who had more energy down the stretch and in this case, Detroit's 54-20 advantage on points in the paint over the final three quarters played a huge part.  Little resistance from the Bulls on one end and employing shooters who aren't consistent enough on the other can only mean disaster.  And too many turnovers, five of their 10 coming from Butler, gave Detroit more chances they were mostly happy to take advantage of.  Worst of all, they looked defeated in the face of adversity during the second half and you cannot do that in the NBA.

Every game is becoming more pivotal as the season approaches its final month.  The next one will be on the road Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.  The Bulls' win there on Jan. 24 was the last time I blogged right after a victory.  I'll be working this time however, so my next chance to feel good while writing after a game will have to wait a little longer, which just goes to show how elusive wins are becoming for a team that's still hovering around .500.

Bulls Back to Good Basketball Against Pistons

It's amazing what 2 1/2 hours of practice can do to a team that's struggled of late like the Bulls.  Fred Hoiberg felt it was merited Sunday after 11 straight lackluster quarters that led to three straight losses.  It immediately paid off Monday with a dominant 113-82 win over the Detroit Pistons.  The victory bumped them back above .500 at 14-13.

This game belonged to the Bulls from the opening tip.  They scored 12 of the game's first 14 points and matched their 69-point total from Friday's loss at halftime.  The lead was 34 at the end of the third quarter, allowing Hoiberg to rest his starters for the entire fourth.  In short, Detroit never had a chance.

Seven Bulls, including all five starters, scored in double figures.  Jimmy Butler did the most damage with 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and making all six free throws.  Taj Gibson had 16 and made all eight of his shots.  Rajon Rondo came within two rebounds of a triple-double on a night he had 10 points and 14 assists.

Off the bench, Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott each scored 13 and shot 50 percent from the field.  It was the best they could have hoped for in a season they have struggled to find their footing.  Then again, the same could be said for the entire reserve unit.  But as the two non-starters who typically get the biggest workload, the others can take a cue from them and these types of games can only inspire confidence to play at a higher level.

The Bulls' starters have the talent to compete with anyone in the league, especially those that are struggling.  Granted, the Bulls are closer to the bottom of the Central than they should be, but Monday showed why they're better than the slump they just showed.  More slumps will regrettably happen throughout the year (that's just how it is with this team), which will make games like this easy to savor.  More importantly, it will get them in the playoffs, which is the main goal for this team after missing out last year.

The season will continue Wednesday against the Washington Wizards.  For some reason, this is a team that's had the Bulls' number for a few years now.  But the Bulls made progress by defeating them at the United Center on Nov. 12, so they have a chance to put any further talk about their inability to beat them to rest.  Then again, this team tends to pose more questions than answers, so another letdown is not out of the question, but there's no reason not to think positively after the game we just saw.